Hitsugaya Toshiro's Wife
by chocolatelove1234
Summary: The Winter War has ended. But Hitsugaya Toshiro, the new soutaicho, has lost his memories and believes that Kuchiki Rukia, new captain of the tenth division, is his wife. The two love each other, but Fate has different plans for them. Warning: plot twist in the middle! This is the edited version of my old story.
1. Chapter 1

Hello, Chocolatelove1234 is back~ with a new/old story.

As some of you noticed, I took down my story a few months ago. I read it over, and I nearly got a heart attack. It was really rushed and I didn't like it _at all_. Never again shall I rush a story.

For a while, I abandoned my account and decided to give it to a close friend I know, whose writing skills I trust. But she says that she's busy working on her novel, so I decided to let her be my editor instead. We're a good writing duo

Thank you to everyone who read the previous version. I thank you for your support and will need it again to finish this story again. Please review! Remember, if you review every single chapter I will write you a drabble of your choice at the end of the story. Broken hearted heart breaker, I believe I still owe you a drabble. I'll work on it as soon as I'm done this story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach

CHAPTER 1:

_Blood. Blood covered every inch of the ground. Everything drowned in blood. Blood was all he could see. His legs moved forwards, but he couldn't feel any sensation in them. Shards of ice lay fallen on the red, red ground. Was it his? No, his zanpaktou produced blue ice. This ice was pure white, like snow. _

_ "Hitsugaya taicho!"_

_ A worried voice called him and gentle hands gripped his hands firmly. He stared emotionlessly into violet orbs as they looked into his. _

_ "Hitsugaya taicho? Can you hear me? Unohana taicho, I've found another patient!"_

_ Hitsugaya urged himself to move. But his legs wouldn't obey. He felt heavy and foreign, as if the body wasn't his. _

_ "You're injured, Hitsugaya taicho. Let's get you to safety."_

_ A smile was on the girl's face, her violet eyes filled with determination. She helped him regain his balance and together they moved forwards. Hitsugaya's vision was blurry, but he trusted the girl to lead him to Unohana. Abruptly they stopped and she gently helped him lie down on something soft. _

_ "Take it easy, Hitsugaya taicho." The girl patted his hand. "Unohana taicho, Hitsugaya taicho's here!"_

_ With a wave, the girl left. He could only watch her as she ran farther and farther away. _

_ "Thank you…Rukia."_

…_. _

Paperwork scattered everywhere, some piling up high enough to brush the ceiling. Hitsugaya Toshiro growled as he saw his lieutenant lying on the couch with a bottle of sake, once again ignoring her office duty. He had been cooped up in his office every single day, doing nothing but paperwork. There was twice as much, since the Winter War had ended. The Gotei 13 had won, but with many sacrificed lives.

"Matsumoto, get working!" Hitsugaya snapped another brush. Great. That was his twentieth one, and it was only ten in the morning. He needed a stress ball.

"Taicho~" The strawberry blond whined, taking a swig of sake. "Loosen up."

"Don't tell me to loosen up, you—"

"Ne, taicho." Matsumoto got a catty glint in her baby blue eyes. "Who do you like?"

She did _not_ just ask that.

"None of your—"

"Is it Hinamori?" Matsumoto turned her head to look at him. Hitsugaya's icy teal eyes merely narrowed at the mention of his former friend, stripped of her position as lieutenant and recuperating in the Fourth Division. "Never mind. How about Yachiru?"

The very thought of the pink haired hyperactive bomb flying around his office made him shudder. "No."

"Kiyone-san?"

"No." It was no secret that the newly appointed lieutenant of the Thirteenth Division, Sentaro, was in a relationship with the younger Kotetsu, now the lieutenant of the tenth division.

"How about N—"

"Enough, Matsumoto." Hitsugaya snapped in irritation. "Even if I did like someone, why would I tell you?"

"Of course you would." Matsumoto retorted huffily. "I'm your favorite lieutenant."

"You're my _only_ lieutenant." Hitsugaya corrected her, dipping his brush in ink before continuing his report on the missing people in his squad. "And I don't have anyone that I like."

"But I heard rumors about you and Kuchiki taicho getting friendly." Matsumoto sat up and innocently batted her eyelashes at him. A pale pink blush appeared on Hitsugaya's tanned cheeks.

"W-Where'd you hear that?" Hitsugaya reached of his cup of green tea. "That's not true, she's my subordinate."

"I heard you went over to the Tenth division to help her out." Matsumoto raised her eyebrows at him. "That's very unlike you, taicho."

"She's young, I just wanted to be sure that she was capable of running the division." Hitsugaya sipped his green tea. "That's all there is."

"You could've sent her brother there to help her." Matsumoto persisted, probing further. "You didn't have to abandon your precious paperwork for a full day just to help her."

"I-I wanted to make sure." Was the best reply Hitsugaya had.

"I knew it!" Matsumoto slammed her hands on the coffee table, making some of the paper scatter to the ground. "KUCHIKI RUKIA TAICHO, TAICHO LO—"

"Permission to enter, Hitsugaya soutaicho?"

Matsumoto froze in mid song. The grand doors to Hitsugaya's office opened as a small, dark haired woman entered gracefully, carrying a pile of paperwork in her hands.

"I heard my name." Rukia raised an eyebrow. "Is there anything I should know about?"

If it hadn't been for the chilling glare Hitsugaya sent her, Matsumoto would've blabbered out everything.

"Of course not, Rukia." Hitsugaya lied smoothly, fixing his eyes on her. Rukia dumped the paperwork unceremoniously on the coffee table, right in front of Matsumoto.

"I found your paperwork in my office, Hitsugaya soutaicho. Someone must've delivered it to me by accident." Rukia snatched the sake flask in Matsumoto's hands in a blink of eye. "And you, Rangiku, shouldn't be drinking on duty."

"Rukia taicho, no fair! That was my biggest bottle!" Rangiku tried to reach for the sake bottle, but the small captain was already halfway across the room.

"Have a good day, Hitsugaya soutaicho!" Rukia bowed to him quickly before waving the sake flask teasingly at Matsumoto. "Come and get it, Rangiku."

In a flask the small captain was out the doors. Hitsugaya watched his lieutenant warily as a storm passed Rangiku's face. With a deadly scowl the strawberry blond rose to her feet.

"I'll be right back, taicho!" Matsumoto promised as she leapt out the window. "RUKIA TAICHO, GET BACK HERE!"

What a hectic morning.

…..

"Report, Kiyone."

"Hai, taicho!"

The dark blond flopped onto the couch. "Man, am I tired. Three of our new recruits nearly blew up the training grounds using the wrong incantation."

"Next?" Rukia glanced at the clock on the pale ice blue wall. Ten o'clock. She'd have to camp out here tonight. Nii-sama wouldn't be pleased, but it was too late to go home.

"The hollow mission in Rukongai was a success. The residents are safe. Our officers came in two hours ago. One of them was injured and he's at the Fourth Division."

"Is that it?"

"Yes." Kiyone groaned, rolling around on the couch. "I don't get how you can still be working, taicho. I'm going to pass out any second now."

"Then you should go home." Rukia suggested, dipping her brush in ink. "Say hello to Sentaro for me, will you?"

"That monkey's probably asleep by now." Kiyone grumbled as she pulled herself up. "Don't work too late, taicho. See you tomorrow!"

Rukia nodded her assent as the shoji door slid shut. Time ticked by and it wasn't until midnight when Rukia finally decided to call it a night. Pulling a black quilt from her desk drawer Rukia fell onto the couch and fell into a dreamless sleep.

…

"Momo…"

Hitsugaya Toshiro looked at his unconscious friend sadly. "Why? Why would you betray the Soul Society? Do you love him that much?"

The brunette didn't answer. The sounds of the oxygen machine echoed in the dark room, the only thing keeping her alive. Such a fragile thing life was. With one snap of the tube Hitsugaya could end Momo's life.

"I guess you do." Hitsugaya whispered into the darkness as he leaned his head on the night table, watching Momo sleep peacefully.

His eyes got heavier and heavier until he finally closed them. He expected to see Momo's sleeping image behind his eyelids, but instead, the image of Kuchiki Rukia's violet orbs entered his mind.

…..

"Hey, midget!"

The voice was so irritatingly familiar. Kuchiki Rukia closed her eyes firmly before turning away from the voice.

"Oi! Midget! Don't ignore me!"

Rukia curled her fingers into a fist.

"Hey!" A shadow loomed over her. Just in time, a fist shot up and connected right with the intruder's jaw.

"OWWWW!"

The intruder's screams were loud enough to wake the dead. Rukia sat up, blinking the tiredness out of her eyes. She felt a little fatigued, but well rested and alert. The intruder lay sprawled out on the floor beneath her, massaging his face.

"Good morning." Rukia greeted the intruder pleasantly. "I would say I'm happy to see you this morning, but I'm not."

"SHUT UP!" Kurosaki Ichigo, the intruder, howled, jumping to his feet. "WHY WOULD YOU TRY AND KILL SOMEONE WHO WAS TRYING TO DO YOU A FAVOR AND WAKE YOU UP, HUH?"

"Lower your voice, Strawberry." Rukia stifled a yawn as she stretched. "You're making my ears bleed. By the way, what are you doing here in the unholy hours of the morning?"

Ichigo stared at her with a scowl. "It's eight, midget. We would've gone to school by now. I came here because you didn't visit yesterday. Do you know how much the twins waited for you? They spent the whole entire day in front of the door, genius."

"Shit." Rukia winced. "I'm sorry, I forgot."

Ichigo snorted. "Tell that to the judge. Anyway, I'm here for our routine. You could use some stress relief."

"I could." Ichigo helped Rukia up to her feet. "Just like the old times, then?"

"Of course." Ichigo grinned, patting the hilt of his sword.

"I'm not going to go easy on you." Rukia warned him, grabbing her sword from her desk.

"Never asked you to." Ichigo said with determination.

"You asked for it." Rukia smirked as she tied her zanpaktou to her obi. "Get a cot prepared for you in the Fourth Division, Strawberry. You're going to need it."

…..

"Hitsugaya-soutaicho?"

Hitsugaya opened his eyes and blinked. A motherly looking woman with a long, black braid running down her front entered with a tray in her hands.

"Visiting Hinamori-san again?" The woman pulled a chair from under the bed and sat beside him. "How kind of you. She doesn't often get visitors."

Hitsugaya stared at her, confusion clear on his handsome features.

"Who are you?"

Unohana's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

…

First chapter, done!

Please, leave a kind review. No flaming!


	2. Chapter 2

Hello~ Chocolatelove1234 is back with a new chapter! Please, please don't kill me. I totally forgot about this story until today, when I got one hell of a wake up call from my friend. I'm sorry, I'll try to update sooner!

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

CHAPTER 2:

_"Who are you?"_

_ Unohana's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"_

…..

"Hitsugaya soutaicho, are you feeling unwell?" Unohana peered into her leader's eyes. She got the feeling that he would cut off her hand if she touched him, so she decided to keep a safe distance away.

"I don't understand." Hitsugaya looked at her for a few moments blankly. "Have we met before?"

If Unohana were any younger, her jaw would've dropped to the ground. She had been Hitsugaya colleague for a decade. She had healed him on numerous occasions and they had frequently conversed during meetings. This had to be some kind of sick joke, only Hitsugaya Toshiro didn't joke.

"Hitsugaya soutaicho," Unohana said gently. "Can you remember who I am?"

Hitsugaya scowled at her. "We've never met before."

"Do you recognize her?" Unohana gestured to the sleeping girl on the cot.

"No."

The fact that he didn't know his childhood friend was worrying. Was he suffering some kind of sudden amnesia? Did he hit his head during the night? Were his brain injuries acting up again? What was the reason?

"Hitsugaya taicho." Unohana said in a motherly voice. "Who can you remember?"

"Rukia." Hitsugaya replied almost immediately with a steady look in his eyes.

Unohana stared at him some more. "_The _Kuchiki Rukia?"

"Who else?" Hitsugaya scoffed.

"As in, Kuchiki Rukia, captain of the tenth division?"

It was Hitsugaya's turn to stare at her. "She's a captain?"

"You promoted her a few weeks ago, didn't you?"

"No, I promoted Ikkaku."

"No, you promoted Kuchiki taicho to the tenth squad."

"Of course I didn't. I'm not crazy enough to promote my wife to captaincy, no matter how good she is."

"_Wife_? Did you just call Kuchiki taicho your _wife_?"

This was going to be a long day.

…..

"Put your guard up, Ichigo!"

Rukia appeared behind him. Ichigo turned around and swung his blade down, aiming for her head, but she was already gone. Damn, how the hell was she so fast?

"Hado 33: Sokaitsui!"

Ichigo barely managed to dodge the vicious kido, but singed himself on the shoulder. It had been thirty minutes and he was already panting, but the midget hadn't even broken a sweat. She hadn't even unsheathed her katana.

"Tired?" Rukia smirked at him.

"Like hell I am." Ichigo positioned himself in a fighting stance. With a war like cry, he leapt into the air. His hollow mask began to form on his face.

"Getsuga Tensho!"

A dense crimson and black reiatsu exploded from his blade in an arc, heading for Rukia. Her eyes widened in terror as the arc trapped her and destroyed everything around her. Ichigo gently dropped to the ground, wiping the sweat off his brow. His eyes were filled with worry.

"Rukia?" He called out, his voice laced with anxiety. The dust kept him from seeing anything. If he had hurt his best friend he didn't know what he would do. Had his Getsuga Tensho been a little too reckless?

There was a swoosh of air behind him as the cold feeling of a blade touched his neck.

"Your guard is down, Strawberry." A familiar voice said. Ichigo whirled around in shock. Rukia stood behind him, sheathing her sword. She was perfectly fine, without a scratch in sight.

"Y-You…" Ichigo's amber eyes widened.

"Your Getsuga Tensho can't touch me." Rukia yawned, stretching. "I'm a captain, idiot."

"I thought you died, midget!" Ichigo yelled, grabbing her by the arms. "Don't scare me like that!"

Rukia swiftly kneed Ichigo in the groin. With a yelp of pain, the carrot top fell to ground, wincing.

"I told you, your Getsuga Tensho can't touch me." Rukia rolled her eyes. "And if you're truly sorry, you would've bought me coffee."

"You're going to get me bankrupt." Ichigo muttered as he stood up, fishing for his wallet inside his shikakusho.

A hell butterfly floated near Rukia. She held out two fingers and the butterfly rested gently on her fingertips. Rukia curtly nodded and the butterfly flew away, carried by the wind.

"Got to go, Strawberry." Rukia waved. "I want that coffee on my desk by noon."

In a flash, she was gone, leaving nothing but dust.

…..

"Kuchiki Rukia is your wife?" Unohana repeated, trying to convince herself.

"Of course." Hitsugaya frowned at the older woman. "We've been married for a month now."

"Congratulations." Unohana forced a bright smile. But questions whirled in her mind. Hitsugaya didn't seem to have the normal amnesia. He seemed to remember most things. He remembered that he had been promoted to Head Captain after Yamamoto had retired. He remembered his lieutenant, what he had been working on the night before and most of his subordinates. In fact, he still seemed the same. But he couldn't remember her and his childhood friend. And he believed that Kuchiki Rukia was his wife.

"Did you call for me, Unohana-san?"

Speak of the devil. The youngest captain entered the room silently with graceful and light footsteps. One couldn't help but feel envious and ugly in her presence.

"Kuchiki taicho." Unohana greeted pleasantly. "Thank you for coming."

"No problem." Rukia noticed the white haired man sitting beside Unohana. "Good morning, Hitsugaya soutaicho. Are you visiting Hinamori again?"

"Hitsugaya soutaicho?" The man repeated in confusion. "That's a bad habit of yours, Rukia."

"Hm?" Rukia blinked at him. "What are you ta—"

"Kuchiki taicho, may be converse in private?" Unohana smiled sweetly, but Rukia saw the dark gleam in her eyes. Nodding her consent, the younger woman followed her colleague outside the room.

"What's wrong with Hitsugaya soutaicho?" Rukia demanded as soon as the door was shut. "Did I do something?"

"Kuchiki taicho, I'm going to be telling you some shocking news." Unohana looked straight into the mysterious violet eyes. "Hitsugaya soutaicho…believes that you are his wife."

_'What?'_

….

FLASHBACK (this scene takes place right after Rukia gets promoted.)

_"Good morning, Hitsugaya soutaicho!"_

_ The white haired leader nodded curtly to all the kneeling officers, trembling in his presence. _

_ "You." Hitsugaya said pointedly to one of the officers. "Where's your captain's office?"_

_ "It's on the top floor, sir, the last door in the left hallway." The officer squeaked, backing away. Hitsugaya swept past him, searching for the reiatsu. It was easy to find it. It was flaring angrily, making the barracks cold. He walked silently down the left hallway and stopped in front of a pair of shoji doors. He slid them open and entered the room. _

_ The room held nostalgic memories, both good and bad. Rows of books covered the white walls, arranged in alphabetical order. Two couches sat facing each other with a coffee table in between. Light flooded into the room by the open windows. A small, dark haired girl sat at a wooden desk, barely seen between the mountains of paperwork. He heard her before he saw her._

_ "What the hell do you mean?" Rukia yelled at the black phone on her desk. _

_ "P-Please forgive us, taicho! We didn't mean to!"_

_ "Did you exterminate all the hollows?"_

_ "Y-Yes, ma'am!"_

_ "Then what are you waiting for? Get the injured girl to the Fourth Division, now!"_

_ "Y-Yes, ma'am!"_

_ With a string of curses under her breath, Rukia angrily pressed the red button on the phone and then the green button beside it. _

_ "Kiyone." Rukia called her lieutenant. _

_ "Taicho!" The phone vibrated with wails. "Ukitake taicho won't take his medicine!"_

_ "Why the hell not?" Rukia dipped her brush in ink and began her reports. _

_ "He says he won't take it unless you come." Sentaro yelled from the distance. _

_ "Then shove it into his mouth!" A vein popped out on Rukia's forehead. "You're his damn lieutenant, aren't you?"_

_ "But—"_

_ "Are you going against my orders, Kotsubaki?" Rukia yelled._

_ "No! Of course not!"_

_ "Yes you are! You're talking back to my captain!" Kiyone joined the fight. _

_ "I never did!"_

_ "Yes! You talked back to my captain! That means you don't respect her!"_

_ "I respect Kuchiki taicho more than anyone!"_

_ "Oh yeah? Prove it!"_

_ "Kuchiki taicho, are you listening? I respect you more than—"_

_ "Just shut up and shove the damn medicine into your captains' mouth!"_

_ Rukia pressed the red button again and closed her eyes._

_ "Stressed?"_

_ Her eyes shot open as she turned to the direction of the voice. Hitsugaya sat on the couch with his feet propped up on her coffee table. _

_ "Hitsugaya soutaicho!" Rukia's eyes widened. "How long—"_

_ "Long enough to hear you yelling at the phone." Hitsugaya smirked as a blush appeared on the new captain's face. "I take it you are frustrated and overwhelmed?"_

_ "O-Of course not!" Rukia said adamantly. "I'm perfectly fine, soutaicho."_

_ "Liar." Hitsugaya drawled lazily. "When was the last time you slept?"_

_ Rukia looked away, as if trying to hide the dark circled under her eyes. "I don't know."_

_ "Alright then." Hitsugaya dumped a stack of paperwork on the coffee table, in front of himself. "I'll help you. If we work together, we'll have this finished by ten tonight. You can take the day off tomorrow."_

_ Rukia opened her mouth to protest, but Hitsugaya ignored her as he gestured for a brush. Without another word, Rukia tossed him one. In a comfortable silence, the two began to work. _

_ END OF FLASHBACK_

_..._

"Why?" Rukia whispered, as she stared outside the window. All she could see was the dark treetops and the gold stars dotting the black night sky. If she strained her ears, she could hear the faint rushing of the waters of the nearby river.

She didn't know why she agreed to this. Unohana had "asked" her to live with Hitsugaya for a while. She never mentioned sending them off to a summer mansion for a month surrounding by nothing but wildlife. The next time she saw the healer, she would bring Sode no Shirayuki without even a hello.

Unbeknownst to her, a man stood at the doorway, studying her. Hitsugaya did feel indeed that he was the luckiest person to get married to such a beautiful and smart woman. They were made for each other. She was one of the very few people in the Soul Society who was shorter than him by a full four inches. Walking towards her leisurely, he stopped right beside her.

"Hitsu—Toshiro." Rukia greeted him politely. She didn't notice his eyes narrow slightly.

"How are you enjoying the summer mansion so far, Rukia?" He asked in the same, polite tone she used. They seemed more like acquaintances, not husband and wife.

"It's lovely." Rukia stared out the window again, a wistful smile on her face. "I wish…"

"Yes?"

"Never mind." Rukia laughed a little. Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow at her. "Alright, fine. I promised Karin and Yuzu that I would bring them to my hometown one day. I was thinking of that."

"Your hometown?" Toshiro frowned. Rukia had never once mentioned her origin to him before. He had always assumed it was Sereitei, seeing how she was a noble.

"Inuzuri." Rukia said, looking at him warily, as if waiting for his reaction.

"But you're a noble."

"Nii-sama adopted me."

"Ah." Hitsugaya looked thoughtfully at her. "You're close to Kurosaki's siblings?"

"Of course." Rukia lifted the hem of her sleeve to reveal a small silver chain with five small heart pendants dangling from her wrist. "The ugly orange one is Ichigo. The odd looking yellow one is Isshin's. The caramel one with the chef's hat is Yuzu's. And this blue one's Karin's."

It made his chest burn with jealously to see Kurosaki's heart dangling from his wife's wrist. "Who made it for you?"

"Karin." Rukia fingered the blue heart. "She told me it was a charm to keep me safe in battle. So that I would always return safely back home."

"That's unusually caring of her."

"She's mature now." Rukia said defensively. "You used to play soccer with her, didn't you?"

"Old days." Hitsugaya dismissed the thought with a wave of his hand.

"You're very easy to converse with." Rukia commented, looking up at him. "Karin always used to complain that you would always ignore her when she flirted."

"_Flirted_?" Hitsugaya growled.

"She's over you, don't worry." Rukia rolled her eyes. "She has a boyfriend now. I met him a few weeks ago, he's a really nice boy."

"Whatever." Hitsugaya grumbled as he straightened up and faced her.

"Aren't you tired?" Rukia studied for any signs of weariness on his face. To her surprise, Hitsugaya brushed a calloused thumb over the dark circles under her eyes. With a small yelp she stepped away. Hitsugaya's eyes darkened, but he didn't say anything.

"You should sleep." He told her, heading for the closet. "You may use the bathroom first."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

CHAPTER 3:

_'Should I lie down?'_

Conflicting emotions flashed through Rukia's eyes as she debated whether or not to lie down on the bed. Panic filled her chest when she heard the shower turn off. She had to decide fast. Should she make a run for it to the guest bedroom? No, but all her stuff was here. Should she sleep on the floor? Hitsugaya would find her actions suspicious. Should she just jump out the window and run for her nii-sama's mansion? It was too far.

But she couldn't just lie down on the bed. Of course, she had shared a bed with the opposite sex before. When she was younger she used to snuggle with her nii-sama during thunderstorms. She still did. And in the Human World she and Ichigo had slept together on his bed when they were both sick. So why was she so afraid now?

"What's wrong?" A husky male tenor broke her thoughts. Rukia looked up and saw Hitsugaya run a hair through his damp white locks.

"N-Nothing." Rukia squeaked, hesitantly getting under the covers. She stayed as close to the edge as possible, teetering dangerously. Sure, it was cold, but it was better than lying down right next to the man. She couldn't hear Hitsugaya's frustrated and weary sigh as he sat down on the bed with a book in his hand.

The only light in the room was coming from Hitsugaya's night lamp, beside his side of the bed. It was just enough light to see the words on the page. Only the whispers of the summer wind and the occasional page turning could be heard. In a few minutes, Rukia's quiet, even breathing joined.

The grandfather clock in the hallway struck twelve times. Hitsugaya stifled a yawn as he slipped out of the covers as agile as a cat. Without making a sound he closed the windows. He normally preferred to sleep in a cold environment, but he was afraid that his wife would catch a cold. He turned the lamp off and propped himself up with his elbow, studying his partner.

She really was a delicate and pretty looking thing. Her dark hair sprawled across the white pillow, like ink on fresh now. The ends of her locks were slightly curled, but it was natural. During her sleep she had turned to face him. An eyelash fell from her eye. The black, long eyelash was startling on the creamy, pale skin. Her eyelids covered the violet eyes that always seemed to vary in color. Very gently, Hitsugaya brushed the eyelash away. Her skin felt soft, but cold.

His wife wore a revealing nightgown, no doubt chosen by the servants. It was nearly see through and ended mid-thigh. He noticed her shivering like a leaf and immediately drew her closer to him. No matter how cold he may seem, he radiated warmth from his body. She fit just right with his body, like a perfect sized glove.

"Good night, Rukia." Hitsugaya brushed his lips over her forehead before closing his eyes.

….

The first rays of morning shone generously into the bedroom. A pair of eyelids fluttered open, revealing a mesmerizing shade of violet. Kuchiki Rukia squirmed, trying to do her usual morning stretches. But something kept her from moving. She peeked under the covers, dread filling her stomach. A pair of tanned, muscular arms was wrapped around her thin waist. A pair of teal eyes looked into hers. Hitsugaya Toshiro smiled lazily as he pecked her on the lips. With a startled yelp, Rukia rolled to the edge of the bed.

"Good morning, Rukia. Surprised by the morning kiss?"

Rukia fell from the bed out of surprise. But thanks to her lightning fast reflexes, she pushed off the floor with one hand and landed gracefully on her feet, like a gymnast.

"How long have you been awake?" Rukia demanded him, her eyes narrowed. She was sure she studied his breathing, counting the seconds between each one. They had all been slow and even, eight seconds between each breath.

"For a while, now." Hitsugaya pushed the blankets aside and sat up. "Your reflexes are impressive. Your evasive skills are too. But that must be because you're so small."

If this were Renji or Ichigo, their butts would've being flying halfway to Mars by now. _Nobody_ insulted her height, not even her nii-sama. Her squad learned that early, which is why they remained intact, with all fingers and toes still connected to their limbs. But she couldn't challenge her superior.

For moments there was silence as Rukia glared at the smirking man on the bed before stomping off to the bathroom. Hitsugaya listened to her slam the door and turn the water on before letting out a small chuckle.

…

Rukia scowled at the board as another knife lodged right into the target dot. Her aim was still perfect. She clutched three knives in her hand and threw them again. Bulls' eyes.

"I'm so stupid." She muttered as she swiftly picked up another knife and studied its' sharp point.

The infuriating soul known as Hitsugaya Toshiro had dismissed the servants for the whole entire day. He made breakfast for her, which should've been a sweet gesture, but Rukia took it as a challenge. He was a wonderful cook, making the fluffiest omelets that positively melted in her mouth. Rukia wasn't the worst cook. She occasionally made dinner for her nii-sama every once and awhile, but her cooking skills were limited to rice, miso soup and grilled fish. But she wasn't the kind of person to back down from a challenge, so she offered to make dinner for him.

She searched high and low for fish, raiding every single sink. The Head Cook came to check in at eleven and informed her that they didn't have human tools such as the "refrigerator". All their fish was caught fresh near a river nearby, in the woods. Which was why Rukia ended up in the Weapons' Room, debating on whether not to talk to her so called "husband". She found it extremely awkward and embarrassing to converse with him now, since she was constantly reminded about their kiss. It was her first kiss, too. Her precious first kiss, which she had never vowed to lose, had been lost to her fake husband.

"I hate him." Violet eyes narrowed as another knife sailed into the air. "I hate him!"

She needed the damn fish from the damn river. But if she left without his permission, no doubt he would fly into a rage, cutting down every tree in the forest to find her. And Rukia preferred to see the leafy green tree tops, not their trunks.

"Screw it!" Rukia turned around in a huff, declaring her decision. "I'm going to find him!"

She stomped out of the Weapons' Room, intending to find her husband.

…

It had been a good morning for Hitsugaya. He had woken up with the person he loved most in his arms. He even got to kiss her, which was a bonus. Rukia was never the one for affection. But something was off. He knew there was something wrong with her. When he had woken up a few days ago, she hadn't been by his side. And even when he let his reiatsu travel, she hadn't noticed it. Unohana, the strange healer lady, had to call her down. And in his absence, she had been promoted to a captain.

She called him Hitsugaya soutaicho and looked at him confusedly when he spoke to her. And now she was hesitant to be in his presence, escaping to who-knows-where right after breakfast. Was it because of the morning kiss? No, they had kissed a million times before. One little kiss shouldn't have made her so uncomfortable.

Was she…tired of him? Had her love cooled down, only acting the role as his wife for the sake of their reputations? Hitsugaya's fists clenched, causing the brittle scroll in his hands to rip. It hadn't been an important scroll anyway, just a few lines about the recent mission from his squad. Tossing the ruined scroll aside, Hitsugaya looked out the window. His back touched the headboard. One leg was flat on the bed and the other was propped up to support his arm.

The ears perked up when he heard quiet footsteps approach the door. The thin shoji door slid open to reveal his wife with an agitated expression on her face. Some clothes dangled from her tightly closed fist.

"I'm here to ask you something." Rukia began, her eyes set on Hitsugaya's. He picked up the ripped scroll and seemed to be interested in it. He nodded, prompting her to go on.

"May I go to the river?" Rukia said through gritted teeth. She had never asked something for permission to do something as trivial as this. It made her feel weak and vulnerable. She _hated_ feeling this way.

"No."

"_No?_"

"No."

"Why the hell not? Give me five good reasons!"

"Number 1: It's cold in the river."

"It's _supposed_ to be cold!"

"Number 2: You might be attacked."

"We're in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by animals and trees for at least fifteen square kilometers. I think I'll be fine."

"Number 3: You can't swim."

"I used to swim laps with Ichigo."

"Number 4: You might drown."

"Then I could just freeze the water with my zanpaktou."

"Number 5: Because I said so."

"You aren't my mother!"

Hitsugaya studied her with calm, teal eyes. "I can't persuade you, can I?"

"No." Rukia shook her head adamantly.

"What will you swim in?"

Rukia held up the clothes in her hand.

"Fine." Hitsugaya sighed. "But I'm going with you."

Who the hell did he think she was? "There's really no need, Hitsu—Toshiro."

"You either go with me or you stay here." Hitsugaya fought the urge to smirk at the flash annoyance that crossed his wife's face. Her violet eyes turned stormy as she contemplated her options, weighing the pros and cons.

"Fine." She growled as she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room. Hitsugaya looked at her with an amused, yet sad and longing look in his eyes as he slid off the bed to change.

_When did we drift so far apart…Rukia?_


	4. Chapter 4

Hello, Chocolatelove1234 is back~~~ with a new chapter. Please don't kill me! I was busy and didn't have much time to write But I will try to upload more frequently. Thank you for all the reviews. I'm sorry I didn't reply to any of them. But I thank you for all the lovely lovely compliments!

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach

CHAPTER 4:

"I hate being a girl."

Rukia scowled as her hands expertly tied the fine but sturdy string around the slippery rock. She took a step back and admired her work. Two rocks at opposite sides of the river were connected with string. On that string were hooks that would catch a fish coming downstream. When she had been younger, Renji had preferred to catch fish by stabbing anything moving in the water with a spear. One in a miracle he had caught one, but stabbed his foot. Rukia had used her brains and made a clever trap, designed to catch several fish with no work.

Karin, Yuzu and she spent their summers at the river, camping. Most of the times she had borrowed Karin's shorts and Ichigo's shirt. But they weren't available right now and all she had were really short shorts and a white tank top.

A ripple of water caught her attention. One of the hooks had caught a fish. With a victorious smile, her hands slipped underwater and firmly gripped her prey. With one yank she pulled the fish out of water and immediately stretched her arms out. The fish flailed wildly, trying desperately to escape.

"You're really small." Rukia noticed, saying her thoughts aloud.

Her pride wouldn't let her kill. Or rather, she was too weak hearted. Many criticized her for not going for the kill. It had led her to many close calls, but the thought of someone else's blood on her blade disgusted her.

Rukia gently released the fish underwater before tying the hook onto the string.

_'You're a captain now, Rukia_. _You shouldn't think twice about killing._'

"You're early."

She blinked in surprise as she turned to look at the shore. Hitsugaya Toshiro stood ankle deep in water, his arms crossed. His teal eyes were bright and sharp as they watched her nimble fingers tie knots. She felt a surge of envy at his naturally drop dead gorgeous appearance. Sporting a ratty shirt and baggy shorts, he still looked like a male model on the cover of a fashion magazine.

She knelt down so her knees touched the slippery rocks, covering the ground. Her hands skimming the water, she thought longingly of the hot summer days she spent in a nearby river with the Kurosaki household. Unconsciously, she touched her bracelet, dangling on her wrist.

"Your hooks are well done."

Blinking, Rukia looked up in surprise. Hitsugaya stood beside her, kneeling as well. His calloused fingers were touching the hooks, studying them at every angle.

"T-Thank you." It sounded more like a question. Why couldn't she say one single sentence without stuttering in front of this man?

"So what are you planning to do now?" Hitsugaya watched her look away with a frown. She didn't have a plan.

If Rukia were alone, she would've swam for a while. But _no way in hell_ was she doing that in front of Hitsugaya Toshiro.

"You should go back home," Rukia said in her most pleasant voice. "I'd like some time alone."

Hitsugaya's teal eyes darkened until they were black and held no trace of emotion. "Very well."

Rukia could feel his eyes burning into her back as she hurriedly walked to the shore. In her haste she had forgotten her shoes back at the mansion. Her feet ached a little from the sharp rocks in the river, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. She entered the forest, wondering if there were any berries she could reocgnize as edible. Yuzu had a great eye for edible plants.

Rukia followed the dirt trail that she had taken when going to the river. But she noticed that some trees she passed had red sashes tied to their trunks. The curiosity got the better of her. She had never seen such pretty sashes used to tie trees. Did they mean something? Rukia followed the trail of red sashes until they led to a rice paddy field. Behind the field was a small hut, the kind she and Renji had lived in. Something tugged her to the hut. Rukia's feet wandered between the green plants, the soft earth and cold water feeling heavenly against her aching feet.

In a few moments she was at the porch of the hut. Wiping her feet with a cloth laid out on the porch, she gingerly stepped onto the wooden floor, approaching the shoji door.

"Permission to enter?" Rukia called out softly, kneeling in front of the door. There was no reply. She felt insanely weird for doing this, but she couldn't help it. She wanted to know why there was a hut and a paddy field in the middle of a mountain forest. After waiting a few minutes, she straightened up and gently slid the shoji door open.

To her surprise, the room was dark and smelled musty, as if it hadn't been occupied for years. The wooden floor felt cool against her feet, although it was summer. The room contained no furniture but had a few mats and blankets rolled up in one corner. But in the middle of the room there was the strangest sight.

A low, traditional wooden table was stacked with plates of food and there were cups of sake. This was normally present when people bowed to dead people. But their picture was supposed to be there on the table. Instead of a picture, there was a mirror. Rukia knelt down in front of the low table and looked into the mirror. A chill ran down her spine. This all seemed so strange and unnatural.

"Hello."

Rukia whirled around, shocked. The shoji doors were slid open and an old woman stood there. Her back was hunched and her gray hair was twisted into a bun at the top of her head. Wrinkles were etched into her sagging skin. Her faded dark blue yukata made rustling sounds as she hobbled into the room, relying heavily on her cane.

"I'm surprised to see such a pretty young girl like you here." The grandmother walked past Rukia and sat down at the other side of the table with much difficulty.

"I'm sorry, obaa-san." Rukia bowed her head. But she couldn't help but feel suspicious about this woman. Rukia had extremely sensitive hearing. The fact that this old woman could enter the room without her noticing was _extremely_ suspicious.

The grandmother coughed. "No, no, don't be sorry. I haven't had a visitor in years. So, my dear, what is it that you would like to see?"

"Excuse me?" Rukia frowned at the old woman.

"Is this not the reason why you have come?" The grandmother said in a scratchy voice. "To see your future?"

"Are you a fortune teller?" Rukia fought the urge to snicker. She didn't believe in fortune tellers.

"Somewhat." The old woman shrugged. "I'm Reiko. Decades ago, people have crossed all over the country to see me."

"Ah." Rukia nodded politely. "Well, I'm not here to learn about my future. I just found this place interesting. I'm sorry for intruding."

She was about to stand up when the woman reached for her hand.

"Please, my dear." The woman said. "Sit awhile. It's been such a long time since I've had a visitor. I'd like to see your pretty face for a while longer. Old woman like me don't get much company, you know."

Rukia looked at the woman levelly, looking for any signs of danger. No, she couldn't see any weapons and the woman didn't have any reiatsu. "I'll stay."

"Thank you." The woman smiled widely. "Now, let us chat. What would you like to talk about? Love? Boys? Pretty girls like you should be courted by men."

'_I got married before I was courted.'_ Rukia smiled wryly. "Ah, well, I'm not exactly being courted."

"No, you don't seem like you are." The old woman noted, her drooping eyes gazing at Rukia with a small frown.

Rukia tilted her head a little. "Why not?"

"You don't have the joyous, healthy glow of a woman who knows she is wanted by a man." The woman remarked bluntly. "You have the airs of someone who is bitter and lonely."

"I'm not." Rukia's tone was sharper than she wanted it to be.

The grandmother looked at her calmly. "Alright. But I suggest strongly you mend your relationship with him. He loves you."

"He does not!" Rukia's voice rose slightly, her anger revealing. She quietened, looking down at her clasped hands. "He doesn't. I'm just a false memory to him. Nothing more."

"Memories are based on the truth." The grandmother corrected gently. "My dear, I sense a strange aura around you. May I take a look?"

"O-Of course." Rukia hesitantly held out her right hand. The woman held it and squinted at it. Her skin felt leathery against Rukia's smooth, cold hand.

"Oh, my dear." The old woman pursed her lips. "Fate is cruel."

Rukia blinked. "Huh?"

"You'll be betrayed by those you love. The war will be in your hands. Will you sacrifice yourself or your friends?" The woman chuckled lowly before she released her hand. The fortune teller drew a red silk sash from her yukata, like the ones tied to the trees. "Before you flee to your foe, I want you to release this. It's the Fate's String*. It's the evidence of a traitor."

Rukia fingered the red sash. It felt silky in her hands. She didn't believe what the woman said, but she was grateful to have a sash.

"Thank you, obaa-san." Rukia bowed politely before standing up. "I must get back now."

"Be wary of accidents on your way." The old woman smiled mysteriously. "You'll have five fish caught, but you won't be able to see them. But thank your handsome lover for saving you. Now farewell, my dear. May your future be brighter than what I've seen."

Rukia made her way down the rice paddies with the sash gripped tightly in her hand. There was something eerie about that woman. The way she seemed to know everything. The way she seemed so confident about her skills. Only then did she realize that the woman realized who Rukia was talking about. She knew about her relationship.

Rukia didn't notice it was dark until she entered the forest. The sun had set and the forest was dark. Still light enough that she could see the trail, fortunately. But dark enough not to see the sharp piece of glass jutting out of the ground.

Rukia didn't notice the trail of blood following her until she felt her left foot go limp. With a frown, she examined the bottom of her foot. A deep gash was leaking out dark blood, almost covering her whole foot in it. Gingerly, she set the foot down and tried to take a step. The pain that coursed through her foot was astounding. Rukia also noticed that there was a slash on her thigh as well. But she had been taught early on to ignore the pains.

After walking for another minute, Rukia knew it was futile to continue. She was panting and leaning against a tree. It was getting darker and darker and her foot was bleeding at an alarming rate. Using shunpo would be risky. She didn't know if she could do so without further harming herself.

She heard a rustle. An animal? Night predator? She wasn't sure. But she knew it wasn't just the wind. There was only one way to find out.

"Hado 33: So—"

Something leapt out from behind the bushes and tackled her. Rukia was too surprised to even scream. She fought fiercely, trying to overthrow her attacker. But the thing was very strong: it pinned her wrists and legs down. When she saw a familiar shade of teal, she realized who it was.

"_Hitsugaya soutaicho_?" Rukia gasped, her eyes wide.

"What the hell are you doing out here so late?" Hitsugaya sounded furious. Rukia expected him to let her go, but he only tightened his grip. "I've been looking all over the damn place for you. I thought you went home!"

Rukia could only stare at him in shock. Why was he so…angry?

"Your reiatsu was hidden." For the first time, Rukia heard the raw fear in his voice. "I thought you were…_dead_."

With one simple movement, he slid an arm around her slender waist and pulled her on top of him. Hitsugaya buried his face into the crook of her shoulder.

"Never do that again." He ordered her fiercely, tightening his hold on her. "Never. Don't leave me."

Rukia felt warm in his arms. But it wasn't warmth from a fire. It was internal warmth, the warmth that you got from someone's love.

"I'm sorry." Rukia whispered softly, laying her head hesitantly on his chest. She could hear his heart beating steadily, powerful and secure. Just like him.

They lay like that, comfortable in each other's arms, until Rukia felt the sensation in her leg disappear. She sat up and examined her foot. The gash was darker, as well as the blood that leaked out. In her haste to get home, she had forgotten to heal it.

"What happened?" Hitsugaya crouched beside her, also taking a look at her foot. His scowl deepened.

"I stepped on glass." Rukia calmly rolled her left ankle around in circles, hoping to get some power back. No use. Her foot was limp.

"Baka." Hitsugaya growled as he scooped her up. "We're heading home."

A pretty pink blush appeared on her cheeks. "I-I can walk!"

"Like hell you can." Hitsugaya snorted as he eased her into bridal style and gripped her gently, but firmly. "Wrap your hands around my neck. You'll be more secure."

"No! No way in hell!" Rukia squirmed around, trying to get out of his grip. Unfortunately, his arms seemed to be made of steel, because they locked her even tighter.

"It's a command from your superior, Rukia." Hitsugaya smirked arrogantly. "Are you defying my orders?"

Rukia glared at him before hesitantly wrapping her arms around his neck. Her blush deepened.

"Hold on tight." Hitsugaya warned her before the two flash stepped away.


	5. Chapter 5

Hello, it's Chocoloatelove1234~ with a new chapter Wait, don't kill me! I know, I know, I haven't updated in a million years, but I'm just so busy these days This is not a good chapter and it'll probably make no sense at all. But since I haven't updated in such a long time I felt the need to write this.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

CHAPTER 5

Rukia seethed in anger as she watched Hitsugaya's expert slicing. The knife was a blur as they chopped the vegetables into symmetrical, perfect cubes. With one flick of his wrist he scraped all the vegetables off the cutting board and into the pot of boiling broth. What _couldn't _this man do? He was the Head Captain of the Gotei 13, youngest high ranking warrior in history, a known prodigy and known for his high intellect and battle skills. His long, impressive list of accomplishments infuriated her to no end. Once again, her plan backfired and she was stuck sitting on this chair while he cooked dinner for her.

"I hope you like vegetable soup," Hitsugaya closed the pot with a lid to let the soup simmer for awhile. "Pass me the towel beside you."

Rukia tossed (more like hurled) the cloth on the table at him. He caught it deftly with one hand and proceeded to wipe his hands.

"Someone's in a bad mood." Hitsugaya commented as he slid with ease into the seat across from her.

"I'm _not._" Rukia's scowl darkened.

Hitsugaya let out a small chuckle. "How cute. My wife's in denial."

Rukia stared at him with wide eyes for a few seconds before remembering why she was here. To act the role of his wife, in order to help him ease back into his lifestyle and restore his memory.

'_When he remembers everything what will I do?'_ Rukia chewed on her bottom lip. _'What will happen to us? How will I endure it? It'll be so awkward!'_

"Is there something wrong?" Hitsugaya tilted his head slightly, his eyes fixed on her. "Does your foot hurt again?"

Rukia gently pressed the sole of her foot against the wooden floor and almost yelped. The pain traveled all the way to her cut thigh, which still oozed blood. She had tried to heal it in the shower, but realized that it required reiatsu, which would've made Hitsugaya suspicious. Instead she lathered the cut with ointments that she had found in the first aid cabinet and wrapped it up tightly with bandage clothes. She could've asked Hitsugaya to heal it for her, but he had already carried her home and healed her foot and was making dinner. Her pride wouldn't let him do anything else.

"No." Rukia maintained a serene smile. "My foot's fine, thank you."

She was feeling a cold seeping into her system. Her skin was hot to the touch yet she felt unnaturally cold, as if it were winter. Her head spun around in circles and she couldn't think clearly. Her walking was unstable as well, as if her limbs weren't following her brain's orders.

"You look pale." Hitsugaya remarked, his eyes narrowed.

"I'm _fine_," Rukia repeated with more force. "I'm just tired. Would you mind if I retire early tonight?"

"You haven't eaten dinner yet." Hitsugaya watched as Rukia pushed herself off the chair. As soon as she took a step he detected what was wrong. She seemed to favor her right leg. At first he thought it was because her left foot, but then he caught a glimpse of the small dark red splotch that had seeped through her yukata, on her thigh.

"Your leg has been injured as well."

Rukia froze in her tracks, one hand still on the table. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I can see it. You wrapped bandages around it, didn't you? The blood soaked through." His voice was sharp, with a hint of barely concealed hurt and anger echoing. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I can heal it, it's just a small scratch." Rukia's cold voice matched his own. "I don't need your help."

Hitsugaya watched the profile of his wife limp down the hallway, one hand on the wall to keep her steady. He admired her fighting spirit and pride. But he also felt melancholy.

_'I keep on trying to get closer…but you just push me farther away.'  
_

_..._

Rukia peeled off her yukata and slipped into a loose shirt instead. The cold, minty scent told her whose shirt it was, but she didn't really care. He wouldn't mind. She tore the bandages off and pressed her hands on the red gash. A small blue orb appeared and the wound began to close. The cold tiles of the bathroom felt cold against her bare legs.

'_Why am I being such a bitch?'_ Rukia asked herself angrily. Hitsugaya had done nothing wrong. Why was she lashing out at him every time they conversed? Why did she feel like she had to defend herself against him? What exactly _did_ she defend? He never laid a hand on her and he was nothing but a courteous gentleman.

'_You're defending your heart.'_ Her conscience whispered back.

Rukia's eyes widened. Was she? But why?

_'You're afraid of getting hurt. You're afraid of liking him too much. You know you're not allowed to pursue a real relationship. You're here to help him regain his memories as quickly as possible, so he can return. And then he'll return to normal and you'll be left with nothing.'_

'_Is that what I'm afraid of?'_ Rukia wondered. Yes, she couldn't deny it. She liked the man, more than she expected. The fact that he had found her when she was helplessly lost in the forest touched her. And the hug they shared made her feel warm, like she was cared for.

The orb faded when the gash was fully closed. There was nothing left except for a thin white scar that ran down her thigh. Rukia curled her arms around legs and rested her chin on her knees. She was confused and it bothered her.

"Are you better now?"

The man in her thoughts was leaned against the doorframe, his eyes trained on her. He lifted an eyebrow slightly when he noticed that she was almost half naked, but did not comment.

Rukia nodded, her gaze on the floor.

"What's wrong?"

She shook her head, her eyes still refusing to meet his. With a long sigh, he knelt in front of her and tipped her chin up with his index finger. She shivered slightly. She was surprised to feel how warm and gentle it felt. She had always thought that he would feel cold. After all, his zanpaktou was an ice type, like hers.

Thinking that she was cold, Hitsugaya peeled off his grey sweater and was about to drape it on her thin frame. Anger flashed in her dark violet eyes as she raised a hand to slap his arm away. With his left arm he gripped her wrist before she could even touch him.

"What's wrong with you?" He demanded through gritted teeth. "What have I done? Why do you hate me so much?"

_'I don't hate you. I hate the fact that I like you.'_ Rukia screamed at him in her mind. But she stayed mute.

"Do you hate me so much that you won't even speak to me?" Hitsugaya stated in an emotionless voice. His teal eyes darkened as he released her wrist. "Fine. You want your own space. I'll sleep in one of the guest rooms tonight then."

He stood up and turned his back on her as he walked out of the bathroom.


	6. Chapter 6

Hi y'all, it's Chocolatelove1234~with another chapter! Two updates in the same month, I'm on a roll XD

Thank you for all the positive reviews I have two questions to ask you guys (it's at the bottom), so after you're done reading the chapter please check it out!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.

CHAPTER 6:

_'Do you hate me so much that you won't even speak to me?'_

Rukia wrapped the thin sweater around herself tightly as she stared at the koi swimming, occasionally splashing the rippling surface with their fins. The moonlight shone on the clear waters of the pond so that Rukia could see her reflection. She didn't want to see, so she focused on the koi instead. She envied their ignorance and wished she could be one.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" Rukia wondered aloud, her eyes turning to the skies for an answer. All she could see was an ebony black sky that stretched out as far as she could see. Hoping to seek comfort, she lifted one of the sleeves of the jacket and pressed it against the lips and nose. Hitsugaya had a very distinct scent. The cold and sharp peppermint fragrance lingered in the air even after she dropped the sleeve. "Get yourself together, Rukia. You're a captain."

She didn't feel like a captain at the moment. Captains were always supposed to know what to do and put their work in front of everything else. Here she was, moping around in the unholy hours of the morning and envying koi. What the hell was wrong with her?

"Go to sleep." Rukia commanded herself. Her voice sounded pathetic, even to her own ears. Instead of standing up and marching briskly back to her bedroom like she wanted to, she just wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her chin. She needed to find a solution. She couldn't just stay here and keep on feeding him lies. Her actions disgusted her and would probably disgust him even more when he regained his memories. He would most likely think that she was some kind of slut for acting like his wife while fully knowing that he and Hinamori Momo had a history together.

That was it. Rukia would contact Unohana first and notify her that she would be returning to Sereitei. Then she would write a letter to Hitsugaya asking for forgiveness and slip it under his bedroom door (provided that she find it first). First thing in the morning she would rush back home and back to work before anyone noticed. Sereitei wasn't too far away from here, was it? She couldn't remember, she had been asleep for the trip coming to the summer mansion. Rukia couldn't stay here, she needed to leave. She didn't want to toy with his feelings any longer and she didn't want to take the risk in falling in love with her superior. She had already done that before and it hadn't gone well.

Rukia pushed herself off the ground and walked back to the summer mansion. The dewy grass brushed against her ankles, leaving cold droplets of water on them. The bedroom doors were already open. Rukia slipped inside and immediately ransacked the room to find her cellphone. She knew she had brought it, but had tossed it somewhere. Rukia let out a sigh of relief when she found it in the closet, amidst a pile of her clothes. She hurriedly punched in the number 4 and waited for Unohana to answer while climbing onto the open window ledge.

"Hello?" The soft spoken captain answered. "Kuchiki-san?"

"Unohana taicho." Rukia greeted in an equally soft voice.

"What's the matter?" Concern laced into Unohana's voice.

"I wanted to tell you that I will be returning to Sereitei by morning." Rukia gazed at the dark green forest canopy that never seemed to end. It'd take at least an hour of shunpo to get out of the wilderness. Well, it didn't seem too bad. She'd been through worse.

"Did Hitsugaya soutaicho regain his memories?"

"No." Rukia replied bluntly. "But I'm not willing to do this crap anymore."

There was silence as Unohana absorbed the information. "Kuchiki-san, you must—"

"I'll be returning back to Sereitei by morning." Rukia repeated firmly. "Please notify Hitsugaya soutaicho."

There was a heavy, pregnant pause between the two women. Unable to bear Unohana's disapproval, Rukia pressed the red "end call" button to hang up. She knew she was doing the right thing, disregarding her emotions. Ignoring the vibrations from her phone, Rukia jumped off the bed and began her search for paper and writing utensils.

….

He couldn't fall asleep. For what seemed like hours he lay on the futon, staring at the ceiling. Was this what one-sided love felt like? Swallowing pride, hurt, _everything_ for someone's affection, only to be rejected? It was pathetic. The mighty Head Captain, rumored to have no emotions, was pining for a girl. And that girl happened to be the only female in the universe who did not possess even the slightest shred of affection for him.

Was their marriage falling apart so soon? Hell, they hadn't even c_onsummated_ yet. Their love was expressed by pecks on the cheek and hands brushing against each other. Had it been a bad decision to rush their relationship? Hitsugaya didn't think so, he had already decided to spend his life with this woman. And she had agreed, too. They were happy. So why was she acting so weird now? She acted as if it were _wrong_ for them to even interact. What great sin had he committed for this treatment?

'_I should apologize_.' He thought. He would do it in the morning. Rukia needed her space and time to think. Meanwhile, he wanted to get some sleep. Perhaps he would wake up and see that this was all a dream. Perhaps he would wake up and they would be home, with Rukia lying beside him. Wouldn't that be nice?

….

Rukia made no sound as she tiptoed down the hallway barefoot. A scroll was clutched tightly in her hands. She didn't write a long letter. No, in fact, she had written two words: I'M SORRY. He would know what she meant, he was an intelligent individual. She would just tuck it under the door and run back to her room to grab her belongings and get the hell out before he could sense her reiatsu. She never ran away and prided herself in confronting her problems, but this was foreign ground. When she returned to Sereitei she would go to the Women's Shinigami Association and take a crash course on relationships. Matsumoto would be thrilled.

His reiatsu wasn't hard to find. It pulsed steadily and spread evenly around the mansion, as if claiming the area. Rukia kept hers suppressed so he could not detect it. The bedroom he had chosen was in the same hallway, but on opposite ends. She cursed at herself when she realized that the doors were all thin, shoji ones, not the ones in the Human World. Holding her breath, she pressed her ear against the thin paper and listened. She could hear deep, slow breaths and sighed in relief. He was asleep. She could just slide the door open just a crack, slip the scroll in, close the door and run. Perfect. Rukia placed her fingers on the wooden frame and inched it to the side. The door slid open achingly slowly, millimeter by millimeter.

"Who's there?"

Rukia froze. There was a rustle of clothes against blankets as Hitsugaya rose. Panic alarms going off in her head, Rukia desperately scanned the hallway, looking for any nooks or crevices for her to hide in. Nope. Once again, luck was not on her side.

"Rukia?"

Rukia slowly turned around on her heel, hiding the scroll behind her back. Hitsugaya stood in front of her, his hand on the exact same place hers had been on the doorframe. His spiky white locks was rumpled and tousled. His lips were set in a hard, tight line.

"What are you doing?" His voice was cool and neutral.

"I…" Rukia clenched the scroll even tighter behind her back and fixed her eyes on the wooden floor. "I wanted to apologize."

Hitsugaya stared at her.

"So here." Rukia shoved the scroll at him, almost as if she wanted to stab him with it. "I don't expect you to forgive me or anything, but I just wanted to let you know that I'm sorry and that I was being rude but that's kind of not my fault because the situation's really complicated but that's not an excuse so—"

Her embarrassed rambling was cut off when she dared to look up and saw his expression. His eyes were a subtle shade darker and half lidded. His jaw relaxed and he released the scroll. It hit the floor with a small clang and rolled away.

"Are you genuinely sorry?" His voice was low and husky.

Rukia could only manage a small nod. He placed his hands on her arms and looked into her eyes with a question, searching for an answer.

_'May I?'_

He could see the doubt filled in her dark violet eyes, the worries and the fears. She was uncertain and hesitant.

_'I'll take care of you.'_

She nodded, almost imperceptibly. With a small smile, he closed the gap between them with a step forwards and gently bent his head. When his lips hovered over hers his eyes asked once again.

_'Are you sure_?'

The corners of her lips curled upwards.

_'Yes. I trust you.'_

His lips pressed against hers gently. He felt her tense and he gathered her in his strong arms.

_'I got you. Don't worry.'_

She slowly relaxed and hesitantly placed her arms around him.

_'I know you.'_

They both smiled.

_'I love you.'_

…

Okay, here are the questions I'm dying to ask you!

Question #1: Would you guys like it if I reply to your reviews? I haven't done it before, but I'm willing to try! But please, do know that even if I don't reply, I read all of your reviews and I take your advice to heart

Question #2: Should I start a new HitsuRuki fanfic? So, a while back, I wrote a chapter. I don't really have any ideas or plans for it, it's just hidden away in a corner. Would you guys like me to post it anyway? I would really appreciate your suggestions. Please feel free to PM me!

I will be posting a poll, so please check it out and VOTE!

REVIEW AND TELL ME YOUR THOUGHTS~

I'll be back soon


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